Sports

Creating quiet mayhem in middle

"I think people would say I'm a hard worker. Unappreciated, but doesn't want the recognition. Good family man who loves his wife, loves his two kids. Always having fun. Family vacation, we look forward to that." - Michael Myers (Post / Glenn Asakawa)

Editor's note: Throughout this season, Broncos reporter Mike Klis and photographer Glenn Asakawa are helping readers get to know one of the team's players on a deeper level. Asakawa's photographs complement a weekly conversation with Klis about life, about work, and about play.

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Michael Myers, the Broncos' unsung, 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive tackle, was a reserve player in six of his seven seasons until he was traded here two years ago. He has started 30 of 31 games since. The middle child of seven raised by Herman and Gloria Myers on the banks of the Mississippi River in the historic Civil War town of Vicksburg, Miss., Michael, 30, attended the University of Alabama. He and Brandy, his wife of eight years, have two children, daughter Mykayl, 6, and son Braxton, 2.

Klis: Let's see, I've done these personal interviews with Gerard Warren, Ebenezer Ekuban, Kenard Lang. They're all outgoing, with the gift of gab. Wouldn't you know it, you're the last starting defensive lineman to be featured.

Myers: I'm the interior guy who's more like the quiet storm. You don't see me and you don't hear me, but I'm doing the work. A quiet storm.

Klis: How are you feeling?

Myers: I feel great. I feel like I'm 22 years old.

Klis: For a guy who takes a pounding and delivers a pounding every single play, for 15 games, I'd have thought you'd be worn ragged by now.

Myers: That's what happens when you're winning. And I think it started with the training in the offseason. You know once you get your pads on and you're playing on the inside, you're going to get double-teamed probably 80 percent of the time. Playing inside, you get double-teamed by accident. So I get myself ready for that.

Klis: Tell me about Mom and Dad. What did Dad do for a living?

Myers: My dad worked six days a week since as long as I can remember. He worked on cars in the early part of my childhood. And then he worked on the Mississippi Harbor, welding. Tough work. Mom was at home taking care of the kids.

Klis: Speaking of tough work, raising seven kids. Are you close to your brothers and sisters?

Myers: We are, especially the four boys. I was competitive with the other three, trying to be better than them in sports. I had a brother, Herman. He went to Southern Mississippi to play basketball, then he played some in Europe. So I had a lot of basketball in my life.

Klis: You were a decent power forward in high school. Was there a time, before you filled out, when you thought basketball was your calling?

Myers: No, because I knew I wasn't growing.

A backup for most of his first seven years in the NFL, Michael Myers has been a starter at defensive tackle for the Broncos the past two seasons. He helped Denver rank No. 2 in the NFL in run defense in 2005. (Post / Glenn Asakawa)

I've been the same height since eighth grade, and I knew I couldn't be a point guard. I can't dribble that ball too well. So I knew that wasn't going to be my game.

Klis: Tell me about Vicksburg.

Myers: It's a big-time town as far as Mississippi is concerned. The Civil War was held there (the Battle of Vicksburg, won by the Union). Right now it's more of a quiet town. It hasn't grown much (about 24,000 people). It's more for elderly people.

Myers: Not really. I was always tall. I pretty much stopped growing in eighth grade and I'm 6-2. But I was a lot skinnier growing up, about 200. I was always a defensive end all the way through until I got to Alabama.

Klis: Who are some people who had influence on your life?

Myers: Probably my dad and my high school football coach, James Knox. They were always pushing me. Coach Knox never let up. It could be 110 degrees out there and we'd still be running.

Klis: How did you meet your wife?

Myers: In college. I was at Alabama; she was at a private college about 10 miles away, Stillman College. It was at her graduation day. My roommate knew her because they were from the same hometown and he introduced me to her. We've been clicking ever since.

Klis: What are your interests, outside of football?

Myers: I like to swim, travel. Swimming is something we did growing up. Basketball and swimming.

Klis: Travel. What's been your favorite vacation so far?

Myers: The Bahamas. You can relax. Just the atmosphere. Nice scenery. Good swimming. Good view of the ocean. We're going to Disney World this year. Actually, we've been there the last two years, and I'm pretty sure my daughter has us going back there this year on spring break. Already got it marked on the calendar.

Klis: You were a starter only one season in your seven years before Denver. Now you've been a starter back-to-back years here. What did the Broncos know that Dallas and Cleveland didn't?

Myers: The Broncos have been great to me. They knew I could play. I give coach Andre Patterson a lot of credit. And Coach Shanahan does his own background work. They knew I was a disciplined player. I can make plays. It's all about coaches believing in you.

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